This guide uses version 2.0, which remains the most commonly referenced distribution for this specific utility, and assumes a standard Windows environment.
Enthusiasts who frequently experiment with BIOS settings can accidentally lock themselves out. Having a verified USB boot stick with PC CMOS Cleaner in your toolkit means you can always recover access and continue tuning without hardware modifications.
PC CMOS Cleaner is not the only tool available for this purpose. Here's how it compares to a few alternatives:
: The tool will automatically detect the BIOS type (Award, AMI, Phoenix, etc.). Select Action : pc cmos cleaner 20 usb boot verified
PC CMOS Cleaner 20 USB Boot Verified: The Ultimate Guide to Resetting BIOS/UEFI
Once the live environment successfully boots, it bypasses your internal storage drives and presents a command-line guided or graphical user wizard.
Since PC CMOS Cleaner is typically distributed as an , you cannot simply copy it to a thumb drive. You must create a bootable environment. This guide uses version 2
=================================================== PC CMOS CLEANER v2.0 =================================================== [1] Display Supervisor / User BIOS Password [2] Wipe CMOS NVRAM & Reset to Factory Defaults [3] Safe Reboot =================================================== Select an option (1-3):
: Bypasses supervisor passwords blocking system access.
The "20" version offers the peace of mind of multiple overwrite cycles, ensuring no stray bit remains. And "USB boot verified" guarantees you aren't trading a BIOS problem for a malware infection. PC CMOS Cleaner is not the only tool
Using a with PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 allows system administrators and PC enthusiasts to bypass physical motherboard tampering, such as removing the CR2032 coin battery or shorting electrical jumper pins. What is PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0?
Example checksum:
: Fully compatible with both legacy x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) processors.
💡 On most modern computers , the BIOS password is no longer stored in the traditional battery‑backed CMOS (the real‑time clock chip). Instead, it is saved in an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read‑Only Memory) , a more secure storage method that this tool cannot directly access. Users with very new motherboards (post‑2018–2020, depending on the manufacturer) should be aware that PC CMOS Cleaner may only reset non‑password CMOS settings , not the actual BIOS password itself.